Trailers for ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Frankenweenie’ make for a nice antidote to awards season

Now that the Oscar dust has settled and the early-year dumping ground has come to a close, studios are beginning to float materials for their (hopeful) moneymakers out there. Two trailers have dropped this week, for “The Avengers” (opening May 4) and Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” (which doesn’t hit until October).

On the former, I have to say, I’m on board. I have a built-in sense of caution when it comes to Joss Whedon, though, and I have to admit, as much as I don’t mind seeing her face in, well, anything, Scarlet Johansson seems incredibly pointless to that enterprise. Nevertheless, my fingers are crossed Marvel pulls this off.

Robert Downey Jr. called it the real “most ambitious film” of the Hollywood system at Comic-Con two years back (amid similar talk surrounding “Avatar” at the time). Marrying these properties together, getting it to come off without an ego hitch, it’s daunting. And there are money shots in the trailer that have me stoked. It should be an awesome way to kick off the summer movie season.

On Burton’s latest, wow, it’s been forever since I saw his 1984 short film “Frankenweenie” (which, by the way, features a very young Sofia Coppola in its voice cast). I used to have a VHS of it, I think. I was a fan. And there always seemed to be the possibility that he’d some day develop it as a feature length motion picture. While director is, more and more, wallowing in the typicalities of “Tim Burton cinema,” I guess it makes sense that he’d go there now. Along with “Dark Shadows” the film will mark a double-dip for him this year, much like the one-two punch of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Corpse Bride” in 2005 (both of which landed Oscar nominations).

It’s basically a teaser trailer, since we’re a ways off here. And it looks, well, harmless enough, I guess. I tend to champion Burton and his sensibilities, even if I am getting a bit bored by his great settling as of late. After all, few filmmakers have such definable an aesthetic, and sometimes that aesthetic makes for breathtaking results. This year’s Best Cinematography Oscar winner Robert Richardson invoked Emmanuel Lubezki’s work on “Sleepy Hollow” when we spoke a few weeks back, still enamored by that film’s beauty. (Indeed, it’s one of my favorite Burton entries.)

The only 2012 movie I’ve even seen so far this year is “The Grey,” which I loved. There isn’t much coming immediately that I’m all that interested in. We’ve all heard about the train wreck of “John Carter.” “Silent House” looks intriguing for it’s “single take” dynamic if nothing else. We’ll all be hearing plenty about “21 Jump Street” out of SXSW (and by most early accounts, it’s fun, but I still don’t find myself all that interested.

I caught “Free Men” at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and, along with my fellow jury member, decided on it as the best of that fest’s international competition. It’ll be opening in limited release later this month. As will “The Raid: Redemption,” which I saw at Sundance and liked even if I did become exhausted by it. And I don’t imagine anyone asked for “Wrath of the Titans,” so who’s going to see it?

April brings “Titanic 3D,” which I may just see in 2D, as well as Richard Linklater’s “Bernie,” which I’ve heard falls short but I like the filmmaker so I’ll be there. Not much else, though. Then, finally, “The Avengers” blows up the box office to announce the summer season. Then comes Cannes (which Guy will be covering, as always), a few more months of popcorn fun and before you know it, Venice, Telluride, Toronto, the season. The season!

Okay, not yet. For now, though, check out the trailers for “The Avengers” and “Frankenweenie” below to wash down the season we just finished.

For year-round entertainment news and awards season commentary follow @kristapley on Twitter.

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I’m getting tired of Burton, honestly. I use to look forward to every film of his, but now it has been two years and I couldn’t bring myself to see Alice or get excited about any of his upcoming projects.

Which is a shame, because he in the 90’s was almost flawless. Ed Wood is one of the greatest films of any time.

By: Liz

03.02.2012 @ 12:44 AM

In terms of spring movies, I’m looking forward to The Deep Blue Sea, which is finally getting a U.S. release on March 23. I’ll also be seeing Friends with Kids (March 9) and Damsels in Distress (April 6). I thought that Take This Waltz and Wuthering Heights were supposed to have spring releases, but I suppose not at this point.

On the mainstream side, I think The Five-Year Engagement (April 27) could be fun. If nothing else, I’m looking forward to seeing Jacki Weaver in another role.

By: Laura Stewart

03.03.2012 @ 1:54 AM

Be prepared to be utterly disappointed by Friends with Kids. It starts off great and then… well, you shall see.

By: Liz

03.03.2012 @ 2:17 AM

Yeah, I heard in a few places that it ends up being disappointingly conventional. Oh well.

By: Paul Outlaw

03.03.2012 @ 5:38 PM

I wouldn’t say “disappointingly conventional.” I actually liked it a lot more than I was expecting to. The acting is very good throughout, the writing is mostly good until [see below], and Adam Scott is a superstar (or deserves to be one). The problem is that the movie can’t commit (pun intended) and ends abruptly and unsatisfyingly (more puns).

And then there’s the Westfeldt-as-leading-lady problem, which I won’t get into here…

By: JJ1

03.02.2012 @ 12:56 AM

What I’ve seen this year, so far:

Underworld: Awakening – 1 out of 4.
The Woman in Black – 2.5 out of 4.
The Grey – 3 out of 4.
Big Miracle – 2 out of 4.
Safe House – fell asleep for the entire mid-section.
This Means War – 2 out of 4.
The Secret World of Arriety – 3 out of 4.

The Avengers. Looking forward to it as I normally do for the big May opener. Specifically, my interest for the film itself is subdued, for now.

By: JJ1

03.02.2012 @ 12:57 AM

“faves” not faces

By: gh

03.02.2012 @ 2:31 AM

the Frankenweenie trailer reminds me of Edward Scissorhands a bit…

By: Rashad

03.02.2012 @ 1:52 AM

No interest in Chronicle? And most of the John Carter buzz has been good, but I wonder how much of that has to do with people liking Stanton so much, and giving him a bit of leeway in the live action transition.

The Avengers still looks bad to me, which is a shame. I fully blame Whedon, who somehow has gotten a pass. RDJ was actually referring to Inception when he said that. He said he just saw it, and thought that it was such an ambitious film, but then said wait a minute, and talked about The Avengers being ambitious as well.

I do really like the Frankenweenie. I’ve actually become a renewed fan of Burton.

By: KristopherTapley

03.02.2012 @ 3:41 AM

What John Carter buzz have you been reading?

By: Rashad

03.02.2012 @ 6:18 AM

Just passing reviews/tweets. AICN, Faraci, McWeeney, Comingsoon all gave it good to great reviews

By: KristopherTapley

03.02.2012 @ 7:53 AM

Weird. I haven’t head a single good thing that wasn’t an apparent apology.

By: JJ1

03.02.2012 @ 2:52 PM

Someone here at hitfix just wrote a pretty glowing review (in today’s headlines section). And it already has a few positive reviews up on rottentomatoes. I’ve also read positive “screening” reports.

By: KristopherTapley

03.02.2012 @ 7:35 PM

Yeah, that was Drew. Everything I’ve been hearing for weeks is that it’s awful.

By: JJ1

03.02.2012 @ 7:41 PM

Gotcha. It does have 8 early positives and 2 negatives on RT. But I expect those numbers to plummet. I guess we won’t know anything for sure for another 4-5 days (the critics with more clout). I really don’t know what to expect.

By: Laura Stewart

03.03.2012 @ 1:57 AM

I’ve been hearing the opposite. Most of the reviews and tweets I have read have been very positive.

By: JJ1

03.03.2012 @ 3:57 PM

Has a blah 69 with BFCA so far. Could rise a bit or fall even further.

By: forg

03.03.2012 @ 5:05 PM

The reviews for John Carter are mostly good, the bad buzz is for the marketing and how the box office tracking is doing poorly and with an expensive budget of 250m, it’s in a dicey position

By: Matthew Starr

03.02.2012 @ 2:57 AM

The best 2012 releases I have seen so far are Bullhead and Miss Bala. Stuff that came out that I want to see include Kill List, This is Not a Film, Chico and Rita and Return.

March and April do look abysmal. In terms of theaters I will probably just see John Carter, 21 Jump Street and Hunger Games. There are a number of smaller films I want to see like Snowtown, Bully, Deep Blue Sea etc..but I’ll probably wait for Netflix.

By: Chris138

03.02.2012 @ 5:20 AM

I’ve only seen a few of the 2012 releases, but The Grey is by far the best of the bunch.

“Scarlet Johansson seems incredibly pointless to that enterprise.”

That’s exactly what I kept thinking to myself whenever I saw her on screen in Iron Man 2.

By: DylanS

03.02.2012 @ 5:40 PM

“The Grey” was phenomenal, a wonderful way to start the year in film.

By: JJ1

03.02.2012 @ 6:18 PM

“The Grey” was stellar on many levels. Best film of the year, so far. I just don’t think it’ll have a high re-watch quotient for me. So brutal; in a good way, of course. :)

By: Paul Outlaw

03.02.2012 @ 8:52 PM

Also saw The Grey and thought: With this film and Warrior, Frank Grillo has arrived.

I’m looking forward to both those two movies, while simultaneously getting ready for a massive disappointment from either.

By: Marie Diaz

03.02.2012 @ 7:53 PM

can’t wait for Frankenweenie. my son is sure to love that one

By: Aris

03.02.2012 @ 8:40 PM

Frankenweenie looks great. I still have the VHS of the original live action short.

By: Harmonica

03.03.2012 @ 5:27 AM

“The train wreck of John Carter”? I’m assuming you’re talking about its horrible marketing and apparent box-office failure, since reviews for the film have been quite positive so far.

By: ac

03.04.2012 @ 6:39 AM

Indeed. 71% on RT so far…not great, but not anywhere near “train wreck.” Tapley with his usual “what I’ve heard” claptrap. You’ve said that many times before and were wrong. Not that I think JC looks all that good. Regardless of the source material being first, Stanton and co. can’t escape the fact that it looks like an Avatar ripoff. And Kitsch is dull as a rock.

By: ac

03.04.2012 @ 6:40 AM

Seems irresponsible for a film blogger to skip Chronicle. Best movie of the year so far.